U.s., Israel to Aid Asian Republics

A joint Israeli-American delegation will visit the Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union in September to discuss technological assistance and joint projects.

The decision was reached Tuesday between Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and special American envoy Richard Armitage. The two discussed the possibility of extending agricultural, medical and other forms of aid to the predominantly Moslem republics.

Israel has a special interest in increasing its involvement with the six republics — Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The region, which both Israel and the United States view as strategically important, has a population of some 170,000 Jews.